Game.



W. WATKINS.

GAME.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1916. l,22 6,42%, Patented May15,1917.

v INVENTOR Wzlliam 2726225152713. WITNESSES Q ATTORNEY WILLIAM WATKINS, OF MONESSEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 191?.

Application filed December 1, 1916. Serial No. 134,407.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WATKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monessen, in the county of Vvestmorelandand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference generally to improvements in games, and relates more particularly to a game board of a surface projectile type.

The invention has for its primary aim and object to provide a novel game embodying means on the playing surface for receiving a plurality of target pieces which are adapted to be arranged in sets therein, means being also arranged on the receiving means for guarding the sets of target pieces and thus preventing one set of them from being struck by the wrong game pieces subsequent to projecting the game pieces.

It is an equally important object of the invention to provide means for adjustably connecting the guarding means of the target and game pieces on the receiving means.

Among the other aims and objects of the invention may be recited the provision of a device of the character mentioned with a view to compactness, the number of parts of which are few, the construction simple, the cost of production low and the efiiciency high.

Other improvements and novel details in the construction and arrangement of parts will be appreciated from the detailed description below which is to be read, in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein I disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention for the purpose of illustration.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan of my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, in the direction in which the arrow points, the ball being shown in elevation, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction in which the arrow points.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings I provide a playing surface 1 which may be and preferably is constructed to resemble a bowling alley when the game is played on a large scale, however, it is to be understood that when used on a smaller scale a board may be employed so as to be readily placed on a table.

With a view toward providing my improved receiving means, heretofore mentioned I employ a strip 2 and secure it transversely of the playing surface 1, or at a point midway the ends thereof. The strip has its respective side edges beveled as indicated by the numeral 3 and is also provided adjacent its respective ends and on its upper surface with a plurality of uniformly spaced depressions 4 which are desirably eight in number, four constituting a set while one set is arranged each side of the center. Receivable in the depressions are target pieces which may be and preferably are soft balls 5, one of which is receivable in each of the depressions 4.

At this point it may be stated that any number of persons may play the game and in Fig. 1, I have illustrated a plurality of game pieces, which may be and preferably are soft balls 6, of a difierent color than the balls 5. As illustrated they are six in number, three being arranged adjacent each end of the playing surface or board to provide two sets. It is an object of the game for the players on one side to project the game pieces 6 at the target pieces 5 which are arranged in alinement therewith so as to remove all of the target pieces 5 from the depressions 4-, before the shortstop or guard has had an opportunity to replace them, the shortstop of each side or team standing at one side of the board, at a point indicated at 7, adjacent the center and behind the set of target pieces that it is his duty to replace.

In order to guard the sets of target pieces or balls 5, I have provided my improved guarding means in the present instance consisting of a bar 8 having asleeve 9 integral therewith at a point intermediate the ends thereof, said sleeve being rotatably arranged about a vertically arranged screw threaded stud 10 which may be and preferably is integral with the center of the strip 2. The respective ends of the bar 8 are bent in opposite directions and at angles 13) the main portion and provide guards for the target pieces, as illustrated by the numerals 11 and 12. For the purpose of adjustably holding the bar 8 in proper position, I have provided a winged nut 13 arranged to engage the threaded end of the stud and clamp the sleeve portion on the strip 2, it being desired to arrange the main portion of the bar 8 diagonally of the board 1 so as to consequently arrange the guards 11-12 diagonally of the surface or board and in a position so that when the game pieces or balls 6 are projected at the target pieces or balls 5 in alinement therewith, the members 1112 will guard the players target pieces 5, which are arranged on an opposite side of the board to those of the opponent, and prevent the game balls from striking them, but incidentally deflect or guide the game balls of the player to strike the target pieces of the opponent.

The operation of the game may be reviewed as follows:

Assuming that there are four players on each side, three of the players are each allowed one of the game pieces or balls 6. Three of the players of each side are required to stand at the respective ends of the surface or board while the other player of each side or team is required to stand in the rear of his target pieces 5. At a given signal the players at the end of the surface or board project their game balls 6 at the target pieces 5 of their opponents which are preferably in alinement with the position of the players game-balls 6, as shown in the drawings, the object being to remove the target pieces 5 from the depressions before the shortstop 7 of the opposing side has had an opportunity to replace his target pieces 5. The duty of the shortstop of each side, is to replace the target pieces before all of the target pieces of the opponent have been displaced by their short stop and to also pass as quickly as possible all of the game pieces 6 to his partners. The side or team which first displaces all of its opponents target pieces is entitled to one point, play being subsequently resumed in a similar manner. lVhile the game pieces 6 are being projected toward the target pieces 5, each of the players throwing the game pieces is not to strike his own target pieces 5 which are arranged at one side of the bar 8 and in order to reduce the possibility of this occurrence the guards 11-12 serve to protect the target pieces belonging to the respective teams from their game balls 6 being projected, and at the same time deflect their game pieces toward their opponents target pieces. It is to be understood that the players at the ends of the board are not restricted to remain or project their game balls in longitudinal alinement with the board 1, since as the players become more expert in the game they may find it convenient to project their balls at an angle or diagonally across the surface of the board 2 so as to obtain better results from their plays.

As many changes-could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of thissinvention could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, and it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game including a playing surface, a plurality of tar 'et pieces arranged across an intermediate portion of the playing surface, a plurality of game pieces adapted to be projected from each end of the playing surface, the game pieces being projected fromone end to be directed at certain of the target pieces distinct from the target pieces at which the game piece from the other end is to be directed, and means arranged on the playing surface at opposite sides of the target pieces between the latterand the'ends of the board to guard the target pieces to be aimed at from one end of the board from the game pieces projected from the other end of the board at the other of said target pieces.

2. A game including a playing surface, a strip arranged transversely of the surface intermediate the ends thereof, a plurality of target pieces arranged in two sets and positioned on opposite sides of the center of the strip, a plurality of game pieces composed of two sets each set of which is adapted to be projected from the respective ends of the playing surface 'toward the set of target pieces arranged in substantial alinement therewith, and means mounted on the strip between the two sets of target pieces for guarding the set of target pieces arranged substantially diagonally to the game pieces to be subsequently projected.

3. A including a playing surface, a strip arranged transversely of the surface intermediate the ends thereof, a plurality of target pieces arranged in two sets and positioned on opposite sides of the center of the strip, a plurality of game pieces composed of two sets each set of which is adapted to be projected from the respective ends of the surface toward the set of target pieces arranged in substantial alinement therewith, and means mounted on the strip between the two sets of target pieces for guarding the set of target pieces arranged substantially diagonally to the game pieces to be subsequently projected, and means for adjustably mounting the guarding means.

4. A game including a playing surface, a strip arranged transversely of the surface intermediate the ends thereof, a plurality of target pieces arranged in two sets and posi tioned on opposite sides of the center of the strip, a plurality of game pieces composed of two sets each of which is adapted to be projected from the respective ends of the surface toward the set of target pieces arranged in substantial alinement therewith, a bar adjustably mounted intermediate the ends of the strip, and guiding arms extending at angles and in opposite directions from the ends of the bar for guarding the set of target pieces arranged substantially diagonally to the game pieces to be subsequently projected.

A game including a playing surface, a strip arranged transversely of the surface intermediate the ends thereof and provided with a plurality of depressions therein, a plurality of target pieces arranged in two sets positioned in the depressions on the strip, a plurality of game pieces adapted to be projected at the target pieces which are arranged in substantial alinement therewith, a bar rotatably mounted on the strip intermediate the ends thereof, and guarding arms extending at angles and projecting in opposite directions from the respective ends of the bar to guard the set of target pieces arranged substantially diagonally to the game pieces subsequently projected.

6. A game including a playing surface, two sets of target pieces arranged in alinement and across an intermediate portion of the playing surface, game pieces to be projected from the respective ends of the playing surface, the game piece being projected from each end of the playing surface to be directed at one of said respective sets of target pieces, and guard means arranged between the sets and extending to guard each set of target pieces from the game piece being projected at the other of said respective sets.

7. A game comprising a strip adapted to be arranged transversely across a playing surface intermediate its ends, sets of target pieces arranged upon the strip, playing pieces to be projected at the target pieces from the respective ends of the playing surface, the game piece being projected from each end of the playing surface to be directed at one of the respective sets of targets, and guard means arranged between the sets and extended to guard each set of target pieces from the game piece being projected at the other of said respective sets.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WATKINS. WVitnesses T. V. Krson, R. XV. PECK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

